Durham women poke-checked by Dragon's Den

Turned down for loan to market Stickhead hats

Durham women poke-checked by Dragon's Den

Ryan Pfeiffer / Metroland

OSHAWA -- Melissa Boudreau, left, and Susan Emanuel, right, partners in the company Stickheads, appeared on Dragon's Den, hoping to convince a panel member to invest in their company. However, they were unsuccessful. Boudreau said the pair were able to get a loan from family and friends, which is being used to market the company. They are seen during an audition for the CBC show at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in March. They auditioned with producer Sahba Khalili, sitting left, and associate producer Priscilla Sreedharan, sitting right. March 14, 2012.

Stickheads

DURHAM -- They gave it their best shot, but the Stickheads couldn't score on The Dragon's Den.

Melissa Boudreau of Whitby and Susan Emanuel of Pickering turned to the CBC reality show, hoping for a financial investment in their business. However, the five 'Dragons' took a pass on their offer of a $50,000 loan in return for a 15-per cent share in the business.

Stickheads are tuques with a tail shaped like a hockey stick. They come in 11 different colours, including those of all the Canadian NHL teams. Ms. Boudreau said in an interview they are working on a 'Canada' hat, which would be ready before the 2014 Winter Olympics.

They auditioned for the show in March at UOIT and Durham College. Their segment on Dragon's Den was filmed shortly after the audition, but was only released online on Wednesday.

"It was an amazing opportunity. We took 11 kids to the pitch," she said, adding they made the same pitch to the Dragons as they did at the audition.

On the show, they come out with the children singing, and make their pitch to the Dragons.

"We've sold over 1,500 hats with little or no marketing," Ms. Boudreau told them.

She told the Dragons they had an industrial design patent on the hat.

She called it the "baseball hat of hockey."

Arlene Dickinson questioned if "you don't have family or friends who could help you?"

That way, she added, the women wouldn't have to give up equity in the business.

Ms. Emanuel replied they could, "but they don't have the experience you guys have."

"That's a mistake people make on this show. They think they'll get us full time and they're not getting us full time to help with their business," Ms. Dickinson said. "You already have a licensing deal. You don't need us. You need that next little kick from somebody close to you."

Another Dragon, Bruce Croxon, refused to participate, saying, "It's a little early for me."

When Ms. Boudreau said Mr. Croxon's children would wear the hat, he agreed, saying, "Oh yeah. I get it. I think you will do really well. You can sell 4,000 hats next year and it would still be a little early for an investment. I'm out."

David Chilton, best known as the author of The Wealthy Barber, said, "I'm worried it will be a fad, too. If it catches on and a year or two later, it will be gone. I'm out."

Kevin O'Leary took a blunt approaching, asking, "Which one of you kiddies want to make money?"

When they all raised their hands, he said, "OK, then don't invest in this hat. I'm out."

The final Dragon, Jim Treliving, was pushed by Ms. Dickinson to invest. Ms. Emanuel said, "It's a great promotional item."

But, he wouldn't bite.

"I won't invest in the company. I will make calls to Hockey Canada. I'll speak to the guys at Boston Pizza," Mr. Treliving stated.

He's a director of the Hockey Canada Foundation and founder of the Boston Pizza chain.

The women also told the Dragons that they had a Stickheads apparel line, but that wasn't warmly received.